The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-25
CLARA BARTON, IN TEXAS,
As THE PRESIDENT OF THE RED
CROSS SOCIETY,
Declares ThE. she state Is Capable
OF Taking Care OF Her
People.

EKw York, February 20. Tb,
Washington correspondent OF tn
Herald t.leeraphs that yesterday, II
al interview with Miss Cafa Barton
she made the following statement:
Believing" she says, Shat IL tn,
reports were corr. ct there must b
some m'sundersl adding emong tn,
p Aople Of the State Of Texas Ia regsrt
to the subject, / decided to observe To-
myself what it might be and ascertain
the real condition in order to deter
mine upon the best method OF relief
according y accompanied our fell
agent, DR. J. B. Hubbell, to Texas, SO
lected an objective point, and Jour
neyed BY private conveyance owe
such territory as would afford the bes
knowledge II the condition Of til,
Drought Drought r snS p'0e%s w. met ot tb'
latter In their churches, school
houses and couItaouses anc
learned from them collectively thtil
condition. We viited them Separate
ly in their little homes, and saw fol
ourselves the brave, patent struggle
they were making, and how little the 4,
had 10 depend on for the cominI
NOR the. II will be borne in mind lha
when We emit, red upon this observa
ton no relief had come fr IN the s tt
a I'd none was pc itively assured. AL
most no rain bal fallen dutlng per cd
OF eighteen months. Two planted crop
had perithed Ia the ground, and tnt
SEED whoa sown last ia gave no 81. 4
OF life. Toe dust was rolling over the
great wind swept felds, w1ers they
had hidden th'ir last forlorn hope O
borro we'd seed, and literally a heaven
OF brass looked down upon an ear b
oil iron. HIRE were twenty TO for
" counties, of szs eommen
sura.e with Texan dimensions, oGcu.
pied by new settlers, making theiI
first efforts la the pioneer work q
developing home life in an untrieo
coun ~, soil and climate. They had
put Their all into the new home aud
the ii tie stock they uld aft rifll
t. use. Tn y toiled ia t fully, planted
two and three times, as long as there
was anything to plsUt or COW, and in
m ct iDs'snces failed to get back
their seed. Many bad grown dis.
couraged and JefG. But It is sskinQ
much OF middle aged man with q
family to walk out, leaving all he has
ever accumulated, ptnniless and
homeless. into the broad and not too
tender world.
NOT STARVING.
Were theee people starvinpf Mol
God forbid that any human being
staIve Ia the u aited States OF Ameri-
ca. l can easily perceive, however,
how those accustomed to the fall
plenty OF our land, and never having
seen greater want could feel that they
were starving and cry aloud for help,
and In view Of wha. m IL at have taken
place, 1t were we'll they did. But one
accustomed TO see entire cities era VI
ing out Of or months Of b jmbardment,
captivating from hunger, would rec.
Ogn'xe that here was mot actual star
walton, but there was great and p sin.
full want, dire and sore necessity, zach
a. no community In this country,
clearly understanding, would for day
permit, eurely not the great semi
tropical State Of Texas, with her mil.
Ito OF acres and full treasury.
But Texas is no ordinary country ;
1t is literally little country BY It's IL,
where ons rides Thousand miles BY
rail in straight line W thout reaching
a boundary, and the old q lsint luxury
OF the tropical fruited South realiz q
small kiuship with the stiuted spruce
settlements and Ind an trails OF I 10
new No thweet. Such expanss brings
varyiog occupation, and naturally con-
d citing inttrests-land owners, land
sellers, free Ianchers OF cattle men,
small farmers, specul Ators and great
railroad interests, widely scattered,
seldom or never coming int pers IN al
contact, Uader such circumstances
with the bet oil iott ntions, it would
be eo'rctly possible for one to rec from
snothe standpoint. Heucs arise
chap and painfdl col flicts Of interests
aud opinions.
A PROUD STATE.
Texas is o proud S ate OF gallant,
generous people, and when the mi, TAX g
WIS made OF taking this sectio u al
trouble outside OF the s ATE for aid, Ia
place o represpn ing it persistently
and pa ienl within the s ate, he r
pride was touche 4 and her press fl "
10 the rescue Of the credit OF he ats
abroad. In oIder to accomplish this
1t must contradict the statements
which 1t thought overdrawn by others
possibly as much underdrsWn, and
tnis cJntroverty in turn served 10
mislead the people at home, Mean
while the II tie faces grew long and
dark and the food short. No mort II
intended this; all was we'll meant, but
not all gu to wisely managed. vi.
II at once saw that in the Vastness
Of its trritory and varying interests
I real needs were not unde stood by
the whole peCple OF the State, had
never reached and come home to
them, but that once comprehendipg
them, their f7t desire would he to
have the trouble cared for by them.
selves and not by others outside.
remaiaed silent, striving to hold all
efforts at relief within their own
linn rs.
Patient waiting brings its reward.
At leDtth the tightly drawn knot
commenced to loo en-. A sum of
5 o. 900 was apnropria ed by the State
Legislature for foo !, and commission
era appointed to disbuss and report.
The rains usual to the sssson com
menced to fall-the frat 10 almost
two yeerF-aud uuder which the
wheat Gown last fall gave eVi dsnce OF
lie, and the people dared t. hope
that the terrible drought was broken.
Spring was at hand; the little farm
yards and the poultry would yield
something, and dark despair COM
menced to give place t. hope.
PRESSING NECESSITIES.
But there wtra 81 Il neeessities.
The appropriation Of 100000 was ex.
clnsIvsly for food, and the discussing
officers had no power to apply q dollar
In any other direction.
"ExoeptiDg the little fall wheat all
these farm lAuds OF thirty or forty
counties are yet to be planted, and the
thrice stricken farmers have not q
huaha al NJ mad my fha ,,,ovlA,. ~ u,